C-SPAN

===Development===
[[File:C-SPAN Robert Byrd.jpg|thumb|right|Sen. [[Robert Byrd]] (right), C-SPAN's founder [[Brian Lamb]] (left) and Paul FitzPatrick flip the switch for C-SPAN2 on June 2, 1986. FitzPatrick was C-SPAN president at the time.]]
[[Brian Lamb]], C-SPAN's [[chairman]] and former [[chief executive officer]], conceived C-SPAN in 1975 while working as the [[Washington, D.C.]], bureau chief of ''[[Cablevision]]''.<ref>{{cite book |title=Peer Participation and Software: What Mozilla Has to Teach Government |publisher=[[MIT Press]] |year=2010 |first=David R. |last=Booth |page=[https://archive.org/details/peerproductionso0000boot/page/81 81] |isbn=978-0-262-51461-3 |url=https://archive.org/details/peerproductionso0000boot/page/81 }}</ref> Cable television was a rapidly growing industry, and Lamb envisioned a non-profit network, financed by the cable industry, that televised Congressional sessions, public affairs events, and policy discussions.<ref name=Barnhart>{{cite news |title=Win like a lamb; C-SPAN remains a reliable source thanks to founder's fair approach |first=Aaron|last=Barnhart |newspaper=[[Kansas City Star]] |page=F1 |url=http://w3.nexis.com/new/docview/getDocForCuiReq?lni=48H7-J1B0-010F-S1NX&csi=145214&oc=00240&perma=true |date=May 3, 2003 |access-date=May 22, 2013}}</ref><ref name=NewsCheck>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/2010/04/20/41591/cspan-the-other-washington-monument |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130205063150/http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/2010/04/20/41591/cspan-the-other-washington-monument |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 5, 2013 |title=C-SPAN: The Other Washington Monument |date=April 20, 2010 |work=tvnewscheck.com |publisher=News Check Media |access-date=November 30, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Legislative Television As Political Advertising: A Public Choice Approach |publisher=[[iUniverse]] |first=Franklin G. |last=Mixon |year=2003 |isbn=978-0-595-27086-6 |page=2}}</ref>  [[Bob Rosencrans]], providing $25,000 of initial funding in 1979,<ref name=Barnhart/><ref name="Columbia College">{{cite web|url=http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/jan05/features3.php|title=Original Cable Guy|work=college.columbia.edu|publisher=[[Columbia College, Columbia University|Columbia College]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829153957/http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/jan05/features3.php <!--Added by H3llBot-->|archive-date=August 29, 2008|access-date=August 5, 2008}}</ref>  and [[John D. Evans]], providing wiring and access to the [[cable television headend|headend]] needed for the distribution of the C-SPAN signal,<ref name="Paddock">{{cite news|url=http://www.ur.umich.edu/9798/Apr08_98/cspan.htm|title=C-SPAN chief says network has 'extended the gallery'|last=Paddock|first=Travis|date=April 8, 1998|work=The University Record|access-date=October 8, 2012|publisher=The University of Michigan|location=Ann Arbor, Michigan|archive-date=July 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729024731/http://www.ur.umich.edu/9798/Apr08_98/cspan.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The C-SPAN Revolution|last=Frantzich|first=Stephen E.|author2=John Sullivan|publisher=[[University of Oklahoma Press]]|year=1996|isbn=0-8061-2870-4|page=30}}</ref> were among those who helped Lamb launch the network. At meetings with House of Representatives leadership, Lamb and Rosencrans promised that the network would be non-political, which helped override broadcast and local network resistance.<ref name="Columbia College" />

C-SPAN launched on March 19, 1979,<ref>{{cite news |title=Lamb opened government with C-SPAN |newspaper=[[Journal & Courier]] |location=Lafayette, Indiana |page=6A |url=http://w3.nexis.com/new/docview/getDocForCuiReq?lni=4R2X-FHC0-TWWX-S08V&csi=256482&oc=00240&perma=true |date=November 3, 2007 |access-date=May 22, 2013}}</ref> for the first televised session made available by the House of Representatives, beginning with a speech by then-[[Tennessee]] representative [[Al Gore]].<ref name=TWP>{{cite news |title=C-SPAN By the Numbers |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=http://w3.nexis.com/new/docview/getDocForCuiReq?lni=4BXM-NJT0-TW87-N2B1&csi=8075&oc=00240&perma=true |date=March 14, 2004 |access-date=May 22, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=The C-SPAN Revolution |first=Stephen E. |last=Frantzich |author2=John Sullivan |publisher=[[University of Oklahoma Press]] |year=1996 |page=23 |isbn=0-8061-2870-4}}</ref>  Upon its debut, only 3.5&nbsp;million homes were wired for C-SPAN,<ref name=Marcus>{{cite news |title=Confessions of a C-SPAN Junkie |author=[[Ruth Marcus (journalist)|Ruth Marcus]] |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |page=A31 |url=http://w3.nexis.com/new/docview/getDocForCuiReq?lni=4BYF-XSH0-TW87-N26J&csi=8075&oc=00240&perma=true |date=March 18, 2004 |access-date=May 22, 2013}}</ref> and the network had just three employees.<ref name=Wallace>{{cite news |title=Power Player of the Week Brian Lamb |author=[[Chris Wallace]] |newspaper=[[Fox News Network]] |url=http://w3.nexis.com/new/docview/getDocForCuiReq?lni=4D3J-4CJ0-00MM-P4FJ&csi=174179&oc=00240&perma=true |date=August 15, 2004 |access-date=May 22, 2013}}</ref> For the first few years C-SPAN leased satellite time from the [[USA Network]] and had approximately 9 hours of daily programming. On February 1, 1982, C-SPAN launched its own transponder and expanded programming to 16 hours a day; the arrangement with the USA Network was discontinued two months later.<ref>{{cite news |title=C-SPAN goes on campaign trail |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/82-OCR/1982-01-25-BC-OCR-Page-0099.pdf |access-date=August 8, 2021 |work=Broadcasting Magazine |date=January 25, 1982 |page=99}}</ref> C-SPAN began full-time operations on September 13, 1982.<ref>{{cite news |title=24 -hour milestone |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/82-OCR/1982-08-02-BC-OCR-Page-0008.pdf |access-date=August 12, 2021 |work=Broadcasting Magazine |date=August 2, 1982 |page=8}}</ref>